1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to firearm holsters. More particularly, the invention pertains to a holster formed by folding a molded holster blank such that its two clam-like halves/sides come together and can be joined to form a holster configuration that is capable of withstanding the type of “snatch” test necessary to qualify as a law enforcement duty pistol or handgun holster. Specifically, the holster has an Automatic Locking System (ALS).
2. Relevant Art
In general, weapon retention is of critical importance for law enforcement personnel. Recent developments in this field focus on the inclusion of locking/retention systems for holstered handguns that must be released by a lever, button or other means in order to release the handgun from the holster, Representative and/or exemplary applications and/or patents related to this field include: U.S. Ser. No. 11/672,826 filed Feb. 8, 2007 (Pub. No. 2007/0181619), for a “Modular Holster for Handguns and the Like”, invented by Seyfert et al.; and more especially, U.S. Pat. No. 7,694,860 for a “Handgun Locking Device” issued Apr. 13, 2010, to Clifton. Another patent, U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,229, issued in 1958 for a “Molded Plastic Pistol Holster” by LeClerc is of more limited applicability, but serves to provide some insight into the field of one-piece molded plastic holster construction.
However, none of these systems and inventions provides or renders obvious the features taught and embodied in the instant invention. The LeClerc patent provides some general insight into the primitive level of unitary molded holster construction, but does not deal with issues of weapon retention. The Seyfert application describes a holster (including a locking system) formed from multiple pieces and alludes to the possibility of a one pieced unitary molded component being used to form such a holster. Nonetheless, it provides no teaching or insight as to how this might be accomplished, particularly in a manner that is capable of withstanding a snatch test.
The Clifton Automatic Locking System (“ALS”) holsters are also made by joining separate sections together. Thus, this patent also fails to deal with issues related to molding/construction of the holster body from a single work piece in the context of weapon retention. However, the Clifton ALS holster has been able to pass the type of “Snatch Test” required by most Law Enforcement units. The “Snatch Test” is meant to stimulate a handgun being forcibly taken from the holster of a Law Enforcement officer by, e.g., a suspect or assailant. The ability of a holster to retain a holstered handgun against this form of action/attack is important for the safety of the Law Enforcement Officer, and could very well mean the difference between life and death.
The current design and manufacture of the aforesaid thermoformed ALS holsters results in a holster body having zero points of separation, and results in a “double-wrap” of plastic material in the areas of greatest force during a snatch test: the trigger guard. However, due to manufacturing and cost constraints, development and production of a unitary injection molded holster body that can achieve the same results as a holster body formed from separate thermoformed sections has been elusive. Almost every design that will allow a holster to be injection molded has resulted in joints and mating separations which cannot withstand the force of a snatch test, most notably in the area of the trigger guard, which receives the lion's share of the forces applied during a snatch test. Efforts to create a uni-body design for a holster/holster blank that is suitable for injection molding has resulted in either an unacceptably bulky holster, or in mold tooling that is so expensive and complex that it is impractical.